Golfing accessory



8 J. R. MAUCK I 3,360,807

GOLFING ACCESSORY Filed Dec. 27, 1965 lzl Hal 176.2

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M555 IE. MAwK ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,360,807 GOLFING ACCESSORY Jess R. Mauck, 8808Britland Way, Fair Oaks, Calif. 95628 Filed Dec. 27, 1965, Ser. No.516,502 5 Claims. (Cl. 714.1)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hand tool including an elongated open endedsubstantially hollow housing normally sheathing a tool body and mountingthe body for reciprocation therein, the tool body having a manuallyoperable detent or handle means operatively connected therewith andextending exteriorly of the housing for actuation longitudinally of thehousing to effect a selective extension of one or the other of the endsof the body beyond the adjacent end of the housing to expose a workingend formed on the tool body.

ings between which is positioned the ground-engaging stud. I

The openings are utilized to receive a point in order to rotate thecleat into engagement with the threaded sleeve in the sole. Althoughcleat tools may be available at the golf shop or at a shoe shop, it isoften necessary to tighten golf cleats while on the golf course at whichtime the point of a golf tee is normally utilized to rotate the cleat.It will be apparent that the utilization of a single wooden point torotate a cleat is a rather exasperating chore.

One of the difficulties in maintaining a golf course for constant use isthe repair of divots or indentations on the green resulting from theimpact of golf balls thereon.

These indentations are normally called ball divots and create aroughened green surface detrimental to the putting of players anddisruptive of the greenkeepers at tempts to provide a smooth puttingsurface. It is therefore advantageous for all players to repair balldivots to aid in'the maintenance of the golf course.

his an object of the instant invention to provide a golfing accessorywhich may be utilized to tighten the cleats on a golfersshoe and whichmay also be utilized 1 to repair divots resulting from the impact of aball on a putting surface.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a golfersaccessory which is small enough to be placed in the pocket of a golferand which may be expanded during utilization.

A still further object of the instant invention is to provide a golfersaccessory which includes a telescoping tool and handle wherein the toolmay be extended a first predetermined distatnce to expose a cleattightening wrench and wherein the tool may be extended an addiltionalincrement to expose the divot repairing device.

A still further object of the instant invention is to provide a toolwhich is slidably received by a suitable handle and which is made ofspring metal and is curved to facilitate securement of the tool withinthe handle.

Other objects and advantages of the instant invention, as well as theinvention itself, reside in the combinations of elements, arrangementsof parts and features of construction and operation, all as will be morefully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawingwherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the golfers accessory of the instantinvention showing the tool fully retracted interiorly of the handle;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the golfers accessory of the instantinvention illustrating the tool being extended in one direction toexpose a sharpened blade for use in cleaning mud or the like from thegolfers shoes, from the faces of the irons and from the grooves thereon;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the golfers accessory of the instantinvention illustrating the tool extended a first predetermined distancein the other direction and engaging a golf cleat shown in dashed lines;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the golfers accessory of FIGURES 1 to 3inclusive, illustrating the extension of the tool to a secondpredetermined distance whereby it may be utilized to repair divots;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom view of the golfers accessory of FIGURES 1 to 4inclusive;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged transverse cross-sectional View of the accessoryof FIGURES 1 to 5 inclusive, taken substantially along line 66 of FIGURE1 as viewed in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of the golfers accessory of theinstant invention illustrating in dashed lines the alternativeextensions of the tool;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged side elevational View of the tool slidablyreceived by the handle, certain parts being broken away for purposes ofillustration; and

FIGURE 9 is a front elevational view of the accessory of the instantinvention.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein like referencecharacters designate like elements throughout -the several viewsthereof, there is indicated generally at -10 the golfing accessory ofthe instant'invention having pair of depending side walls 24 areintegrally formed with top wall 18 and may be provided with a series ofridges 26 to facilitate a users gripping accessory 10. Although walls18, 24 are preferably made of a metallic material, it should be apparentthat they may be made of any suitable substance.

A bottom wall 28 is positioned under top wall 18 and includes a pair ofintegral upwardly extending side walls 30 residing flush against sidewalls 28. As may be seen in FIGURE 6, the lower edge of side walls 24may be deformed as at 32 for securing bottom wall 28 interiorly of sidewalls 24. It Will be apparent that housing 12 forms a longitudinalpassageway 34 extending therethrough for the reception of tool -14 withpassageway 34 communicating with slot 20 and enlargements 22 along aportion of the extent of passageway 34.

Tool 14 includes a body 36 of substantially rectangular configurationforming a sharpened edge 38 at one end thereof which, may be extendedbeyond the confines of housing 12, as in FIGURE 2, to provide a scraperwith which a golfer may clean mud or similar material from his shoes.The other end of tool body 36 forms an elongate longitudinally extendinggroove 40 dividing the end of tool 14 into a pair of spaced apart legs42. A protuberance 44 is affixed on the end of each of legs 42 and is ofa size sufficient to fit within an opening formed in a base 46 of a golfcleat shown generally at 48 in FIGURE 3. Cleat 48 includes a centralthreaded shank 50 inserted into a sleeve 52 in a sole 54 of a golf shoeWhile a ground piercing stud 56 extends from base 46 in the otherdirection.

As may be seen in FIGURE 3, tool 14 is reciprocated out of housing 12toan extent sufiicient to receive ground engaging stud 56. Protuberances44 will be inserted into 'the openings formed in base such that therotation of accessory 10 in a suitable direction will result in thetightening or removal of cleat 48. It is important that only a minimalportion of groove 40 is reciprocated out of accessory 10 since legs 42are substantially supported by housing 12. It Will also be apparent thatthe configuration of FIGURE 4 is somewhat unsuitable for the tighteningof cleats because of the length of accessory 10 which results in anawkward wrench.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, it will be seen that the maximum outwardreciprocation of tool 14 will allow legs 42 to be utilized to repairball divots by inserting legs 42 into the ground adjacent the divot andworking the earth therewith. The area may then be pressed downwardlywiththe golfers shoe resulting in a repaired area that is substantiallysmooth.

As may be seen in FIGURE 6, tool body 36 forms a central enlarged recess58 with a pair of aligned slots 60 extending in the longitudinaldirection of tool 14 and communicating with recess 58. A slightlyarcuate spring member 62 is positioned in slots 60 and forms an opening64 receiving a depending shank 66 of detent 16. Detent 16 is secured tospring 62 by a lower boss 68 affixed to the lowermost portion of shank66 and an enlarged upper boss 70 secured to the uppermost end of shank66.

It will be seen, therefore, that spring 62 is sandwiched between bosses68, 70 and acts to urge detent 16 upwardly. Enlarged boss 70 resides inan opening 72 within tool body 36 with boss 70 extending above thesurface of body 36. An enlarged button 74 is secured to enlarged boss 70by a reduced diameter shank 76 which is sufficiently small to residewithin slot of housing 12. Boss 70, however, is sufficiently sized to beclosely received by enlargements 22, as may be seen in FIG- URE 6, andprecludes reciprocable movement of tool 14 when boss 70 is engaged withenlargement 22.

As an additional feature a ball marker shown generally at 80 isreleasably received by detent 16 so that the golfer may have available adevice to place on the green to spot the ball while another player isputting. Ball marker 80 includes a fiat plate 82 slightly larger thanbutton 74 having a depending arm 84 received inan opening 86 formed inbutton 74 and shank 76. It will be seen that the overlap of plate 82allows a player to extract arm 84 from'opening 86 to free marker 80 foruse. In use, arm 84 is inserted into the green surface where the playersball is located. Because of the insertion of arm 80, it is virtuallyimpossible for marker 80. to be inadvertently moved. Surprisingly, theinsertion of arm 86 into the green surface is beneficial rather thandetrimental because of the aeration of the grass induced by the openingformed in the green.

Further facilitating the secure engagement of tool 14 within passageway34 of housing 12 is the arcuately convex nature of tool body 36. Theinsertion of such a configured body within substantially straightpassageway 34 results in a spring binding engagement providing a secureconnection. This spring binding engagement is further enhanced by thespring metal material With which tool body 36 is preferably made.

In order to reciprocate tool 14 within housing 12, it is necessary onlyto depress button 74 such that enlarged boss moves clear of enlargement22 at which time tool 14 may be reciprocated throughout the length ofslot 20 or throughout any distance desired. It should further be notedthat bottom wall 28 may be made of a plastic or other material which maybe printed on or to which decals may be applied providing a space foradvertizing matter or for indicating average distances achieved by theutilization of different golf clubs.

It is now seen that there is herein provided an improved golfingaccessory having all of the objects and advantages of the instantinvention, including many advantages of practical utility and commercialimportance.

Since many embodiments may be made of the instant inventive concept, andsince many modifications may be made of the embodiment hereinbeforeshown and described, it is to be understood that the foregoing is to beinterpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim.

1. A golfers accessory for repairing ball divots and for tightening golfcleats of the type having a base, a stud adjacent the center of the baseand an opening in the base on each side of the stud, said accessorycomprising:

a housing having a longitudinal passageway and a slot extendinglongitudinally along at least a portion of the housing in communicationwith the passageway, a plurality of enlargements spaced along andcommunicating with said slot;

a tool having a substantially rectangular body formed of spring metaland slidably mounted in said passageway, said body being arcuatelyconvex with respect to said slot;

said body having a lower central recess communicating with said slotthrough an opening;

a spring member mounted in said recess;

said body having a longitudinal groove of a size to receive the golfcleat stud and communicating with pne end of said body to form a pair ofspaced apart a protuberance on each of said legs of a size and shape tobe received by the openings in the golf cleat base;

a detent residing in said slot, said detent extending through saidopening and being secured to said spring member, said spring memberconstantly urging said detent toward said slot;

said detent being operatively engaged with said tool for exposing theprotuberances and a part of the tool groove for tightening the golfcleat when the detent is engaged with one of the enlargements and forexposing the protuberances and a larger part of the tool groove forrepairing a ball divot when the detent is engaged with another of theenlargements.

2. The golfers accessory of claim 1 including a sharpened edge on theother end of the tool body for cleaning foreign matter from golf shoes,clubs and the like.

3. The golfers accessory of claim 1 wherein the tool body opening is atleast as large as the enlargements and the detent includes a boss largerthan the slot for residing in the tool body opening, the boss beingthicker than the tool body adjacent the opening for engaging theenlargements.

4. The golfers accessory of claim 3 wherein the detent includes a shankextending through the slot and secured with the boss and a button on theshank above the slot.

5. The golfers accessory of claim 3 wherein the boss and shank haveformed therein an opening and further including a ball marker comprisinga plate of larger size than the boss and a depending arm, the arm beingreceived by the opening in the shank.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Dobson 30--162 Trimble et al30162 X Kraeling 273-462 Darnell 15237 X Klynman 294-555 X OTI-IELL M.SIMPSON, Primary Examiner. 10 R. V. PARKER, JR., Assistant Examiner.

